Midges herald the start of Sweet Itch season!!

G

Greylegs

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 December 2011
Messages
3,257
Visit site
Also in Tack Room ....

I can cope with daffodils appearing, lambs being born and easter eggs on the shelves at my local supermarket (yes really - they appeared before New Year!!) but the worst thing I saw today was a swarm of midges over a pond!! For those of us with itchy ponies, this heralds the start of spring and SI season!! Going to do my level best to stop the hairy highland removing chunks of his mane again this year and have been recommended all sorts of stuff - Cavalesse (how much ??!!) , Killitch, Boett rugs (won't wear one - goes bonkers!), benzyl benzoate, Avon Skin So Soft bath oil !!! . .... anti midge / itch stuff of all kinds. He only rubs his neck, so guess I'm lucky there, but what's your favourite / patented / most reliable anti sweet itch remedy?? Anyone tried Cavalesse as I hear it works, even if it is expensive ......All suggestions gratefully received .....

Management wise, I have to get him in every night all year round so he's not out early / late and use TriTech fly spray as a repellant when he's out. Thanks for any idea you may have ....
 
My boy came in itching yesterday....He has injections from the vet and wears a rug.....I saw midges last week during the warm spell and went into panic!!! It drives me mad watching him so god knows what it does to him....I have tried bensyl benzoate which works if you apply before any itching starts as if applied after it can irritate more and make tail scabby and fall out!! Tried the nettex stuff too with not much joy....Anything greasy stops the midges but it has to be applied to prevent the bites ...One bite can irritate for upto 2 weeks, the girl who makes my rugs said she tried the capsules and noticed a improvement on hers but they are pricey ?? I will try anything to help him!!!
 
He'll just have to learn to wear a rug. Until you do that you are just wasting money on other things.
I've been using the Bioeos capsules for 3 years now and they do help, but they still need their rugs.
 
Last edited:
Equi-Oil 100%!! Clears mud fever, sweet itch, dermatitis everything! Check out their before and after pics on the websites too just to show how well it works! :) it worked for my mare clearing her mud fever within days
 
Ive tried a few different things but I think coopers fly repellant is the best to date (also wearing the sweet itch hoody) my boy has a section on his mane that is still scurffy (sp?) but Ive not seen him itching after starting to use this,.

I've seen the midges out all over winter still so this looks to be a bad year! :-( how do they survive the snow and frosts!!!!!

I've got mine on Naf D Itch also - has anyone else tried this with good effect as it contains garlic which is a big no no from what I've been told to give a horse with sweet itch so why woul it be in this product?
 
Is it that he won't wear any rug or is it just the Boett types? My pony has had SI since she was 4 or 5 (she's 17 now) & would itch all year round, I've found the biggest part of managing it is to rug her. I personally prefer the Premier Equine rugs or Rambo Hoody - and I've tried them all!!! The other thing I've had success with is Hilton Herbs Bye Bye Itch. I started feeding it a year ago and have noticed she is less prone to itching at every opportunity. I used to bring her into the yard to tack up and straight away she would itch her neck on the tie-up rail. Now it will be a casual rub and give up - more out of habit I think. She also no longer rubs her tail when stabled and her feathers have grown & become thicker.
 
Gloi said:
He'll just have to learn to wear a rug. Until you do that you are just wasting money on other things.
I've been using the Bioeos capsules for 3 years now and they do help, but they still need their rugs.
Click to expand...

Ah! So someone who knows about the Bio Eos capsules (National Sweet Itch Centre website). I did wonder about them for my boy, but as he was on livery at the time and his situation was liable to change, I didn't do anything about it.

Sooooooo....... how good are they? You say you still have to use a rug? So not much/noticeable improvement then? Did you have bloods taken before & after? Any "noticeable" improvement? Worth the money??

Sorry, lots of questions. Feel these capsules need an article in Horse & H&H to investigate properly. Its high time IMO!

(Sorry. Just realised I'm highjacking here).
 
MJr2BT - Bioeos capsules worked on my mare (unfortunately no longer with us), didn't eradicate the SI completely but I believe the scratching becomes ingrained habit after a few years of suffering.

My vet is a skin specialist and was involved in all the SI trials of various products so I tried them all!

I did carry on with Boett as she was a severe case. I wouldn't submit a bad SI case to no rug anyway as not worth the risk. For me it was a case of making her more comfortable.

Those considering Cavellesse - save your money!!
 
I read some where last year that the avon skin so soft stuff haas had a change in ingredients, so no longer has the desired effect? Can't say I've tried it, but I was going to buy it and then saw someone had written that.

It's too cold here still for midges, I do love chilly days!
 
We have two bad sweet itch cases on Bioeos capsules. Both of them still need their rugs but are noticeably better and I think that they are improving each year. Mine used to gnaw at his legs and bite lumps out of his sheath even when he had a rug on and I covered the rest in fly repellent but last year although he'd rub if he was given the chance he didn't chew himself at all. The other one also had unchewed legs and seemed less itchy.
I'd say there is enough improvement to justify spending the money on them. Hopefully this season they will be better again touch wood. no, we haven't had any bloods taken.
 
Last edited:
Gloi said:
We have two bad sweet itch cases on Bioeos capsules. Both of them still need their rugs but are noticeably better and I think that they are improving each year. Mine used to gnaw at his legs and bite lumps out of his sheath even when he had a rug on and I covered the rest in fly repellent but last year although he'd rub if he was given the chance he didn't chew himself at all. The other one also had unchewed legs and seemed less itchy.
I'd say there is enough improvement to justify spending the money on them. Hopefully this season they will be better again touch wood. no, we haven't had any bloods taken.
Click to expand...

Mmm, thanks for this. The capsules aren't exactly cheap....... but something to think about.
 
Thanks for all the thoughts and ideas everyone. I borrowed a Boett from a friend to try (it was the right size) but he went nuts - think it was having the flap under his tummy he hated ... had to remove it pdq before it got destroyed. Have tried a Rambo rug with a high neck but he just sweats up in it and it rubbed his ears very badly, so will look round for lighter weigh alternatives. Might look at a hoody type thing as its only his neck he has a go at, he might wear that without too much bother as he happily wears a regular full face fly mask in the summer.

Currently he just comes in every night, summer and winter so he's not out when it's very "midgy" and I treat with Killitch (which does seem to help if you start early enough) and TriTech fly spray backed up with Avon Skin so Soft, which does still seem to work.

Strangely, someone suggested feeding Marmite!! or even using it as a rub!! I thought they were having a laugh, but then it does seem that brewers yeast and Vitamin B does help with resistance (that's what Cavalesse is I believe) so maybe not such a silly idea. So it's Marmite fingers for brekky every day in the summer ....

Thanks again, but keep the thoughts coming ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top